


Desert Flower Number Seven

by SammysDove_CrowleysKitten



Series: Sam Series [11]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, John reacted like a normal human, Mentions of past abuse, comfort of OFC, fluff at the end, mentions of child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 13:42:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6053715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SammysDove_CrowleysKitten/pseuds/SammysDove_CrowleysKitten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Exhausted from a long hunt and a nine hour drive, Dean wants to pull over at the first motel they see. However, this particular motel is a somewhat painful, and defining memory in Clio's life. </p>
<p>Contains a flashback of childhood abuse, both verbal and physical. Not as bad as some fics I've read, but I still felt a warning was in order.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Desert Flower Number Seven

* * *

 

 

The road was completely empty apart from the impala. Dean had been driving for nine hours and the sun had set after the first five. They passed a sign that read, "Lodging, eight miles: Desert Flower Motel."  

"Eight miles, bout damn time." Dean grumbled, "I need some sleep." Sam was already fast asleep in the passenger's seat but Clio was still awake.  

"Um, Dean, you're gonna kill me but can we not stay at the Desert Flower?" He shot her a glare that almost sent a chill down her spine. 

"The next motel is like a hundred miles from here. Is there a reason you don't wanna stay there?" 

"Just bad memories..." She shrunk, leaning her head against the backseat window. 

"Well maybe once we get there, we can just stretch our legs and I'll make Sammy drive. How's that sounds?" 

"Thanks Dean." The car fell quiet again and Clio's mind began to wander as she watched the lines fly by on the dimly lit pavement. 

* * *

 

Flashback:  

 

It was cold and rainy, a seven year old Clio was alone in the dark motel room. Her mother and John Winchester were working a case together and they had gone out for drinks. They had been gone for three hours and Clio wasn't expecting them back any time soon, nor did she really want her mother coming back. To Clio, a night of drinking meant one of two things: 1. Her mother would come home drunk with a man and Clio would be banished to the cold car so they could have sex, or 2. she would come back alone and her temper would be even more volatile than usual. Lately it seemed to be latter of the two, and poor Clio had suffered the brunt of it, her little body was covered in (coverable) scars and bruises to prove it. 

Unfortunately, when Clio saw headlights pull into the spot in front of their motel window she heard screaming, tonight seemed to option two yet again. One voice was her mother's, higher pitched with a distinct Irish accent. But she couldn't immediately place the other voice, it was much lower and very firm, she peeked out of a slit in the curtains, confirming it was John. He slammed the passenger door and stomped towards his room as her mother continued screaming.  

Once John slammed his door to the room next door, Clio's mother busted through theirs throwing the key on the table. Clio began to cower, tears welling in her little eyes. "It's your fault!" Her mother screeched. "You worthless brat. You ruin everything for me!" She snapped, backhanding Clio, dropping her to the floor. Clio yelped in pain and started sobbing. "Stop crying! That's all you ever do, and you wonder why I don't want you." 

"Mommy, I'm sorry. Please."  

"You're sorry? For what, crying, ruining my life? Stop crying! or I'll give you real reason to cry." She grabbed Clio by her arm and drug her by the table, unplugging the lamp cord from the wall. When her mother let go of her arm in order to fold the cord in half, she bolted out the door and over to John's room. She banged as loud as she could on the door and John opened it, pulling her in and slamming it quickly behind her, locking and bolting it to keep her mother out.  

He looked back to Clio who was curled in a ball on the floor, crying so hard she was hiccupping and gasping for air. He neared her and she scooted further towards the bed, crying out in fear. 

* * *

 

Back in the impala: 

 

Clio's eyes welled with tears, and her chin quivered slightly as she remembered that night at the motel. "Hey Dean, on second thought did we already pass that motel?" 

"No, it's just up here, why? You good, princess?" 

"Yeah, I just-- I wanna see if they have this one room open. If you don't mind." 

"Sure." Dean pulled into the parking lot and woke up Sam, Clio climbed out and walked cautiously over the steps leading up to the office. She turned back to the boys. 

"Um, I know this sounds stupid but would one of you come with me? Please?"  

Dean patted Sam on the shoulder, "Why don't you walk around and wake up a bit, I'll go with her." Dean trotted up beside Clio and held the door for her. Behind the counter was a man that had to be at least in his late sixties if not older.  

"Excuse me, sir." He jumped, as if he hasn't seen them walk in. 

"Hello, what can I do for you Miss?" 

"I was just curious if room number seven was available for tonight?" 

He looked behind him at a peg board of keys, "As a matter of fact young lady, it is, would you like it?" She turned to Dean. 

"If you're sure it's okay, Princess. We won't stay here if you don't wanna." 

Clio turned back to the older gentleman, "We'll take the room for tonight please." 

"Excellent, that'll be sixty dollars." He said, pulling the keys from the wall, "That room has two beds you know." 

"I know, there are three of us." 

"Why don't you help Sammy unpack while I pay." She took the keys from the man and bounded down the stairs to Sam. Dean met up with them after paying and helped carry the rest of their gear up to the door, Clio stood in front of the door with the keys, staring at the number seven that was painted on it. 

She took a deep breath and unlocked the door. Once Sam pushed the door open, she saw that the room was the perfect time capsule, completely unchanged from all those years ago. She felt tears prick again in the corners of her eyes, Dean noticed and pulled Sam over near the impala. "While you were passed out riding shotgun Clio said she didn't wanna stay here because she had bad memories, I could see the wheels turning in her head, and then she wanted to stay here. I don't know what happened, but when she thinks about it her little chin starts quivering and her eyes well up. Just wanted to give you the heads up." 

"Thanks. We should go back then, I know Clio. She won't wanna be alone." When they walked back to the room Clio was still frozen in the same spot of the doorway. "You okay, Dove?" 

"Yeah," She squeaked, trying to steady her voice and wiping tears from her face. "I want the bed closest to the door, do you mind Sam?" 

"No baby, course not." He wrapped his arms protectively around her. She didn't speak much for the rest of the night, she only talked when she had to answer a question and gave short responses when the boys tried to make conversation. 

Sam and Dean had resolved to give up on conversation and instead watch movies, each were sitting on their beds. Dean was on his and Sam was on his holding Clio lovingly to his chest, and ghosting his hand up and down her spine. She was lost in thought though, completely unaware of what Sam was doing or anything that was happening in the movie. 

* * *

 

Flashback: 

 

John looked back to Clio who was curled in a ball on the floor, crying so hard she was hiccupping and gasping for air. He neared her and she scooted further towards the bed, crying out in fear. 

"Hey, it's okay, Clio. I'm not gonna hurt you, and your mom isn't getting in here anytime soon." He said softly, holding out his hand. She sniffled and her crying slowed, eventually nodding her consent for him to get closer. He bent down and scooped her up in his arms, sitting on the edge of the bed and rocking slightly. "Shhh shhh shhh, it's okay. You can stay in here with me tonight, if you want." He offered, brushing her long, tear matted hair from her face.  

"I can?" She whimpered. 

"Course, little bird." He pulled her closer to his chest for a hug and then loosened his grip so he could look at her. "Do you know what my wife used to do when our boys were upset?" 

"You had a wife?" Her doe eyes locking with his in curiosity. 

"Yeah, her name was Mary. She was so beautiful, and when our oldest son Dean would be sad, or when he was going to bed she would sing 'Hey Jude' to him." He continued rocking and started humming the tune to 'Hey Jude'. 

She was so exhausted from crying that shortly after he began humming, she was fast asleep in his arms. He laid her down on the bed furthest from the door and covered her, being sure to tuck her in tightly, then he pulled off his boots and climbed in the bed. He was lying on the bed closest to the door. Just as he was on the edge of sleep heard Clio’s mattress creak, then felt his bed shift and creak, followed by a small tap on his upper arm. 

He opened his eyes, "What is it Clio?" 

"I just wanted to say thank you, Mr. Winchester. Nobody's ever been nice to me before. Everyone is like mommy."  

"You don't have to thank me, now get some sleep, it's been a hard day. And call me John." He smiled, she smiled back. Little did he know, it was her first genuine smile in over a year. He closed his eyes and felt her snuggle up closely under his arm, with her back to his chest. 

* * *

 

Now: 

 

After the movie was over she sat up and turned so she was facing both brothers. "I know I've been really crappy company but the memories I have of this place are.... Bad. But part of them are also kinda good." 

"Don't worry about it kid, you seemed pretty beat up in the car when you decided you wanted to stay here." 

"Yeah. I know you guys have been wanting to ask me what happened, well I know Sam has at least, and I think you guys should know." She took a deep breath in, preparing herself for reliving the memories twice in one day.  

"When I was seven, we stopped in here, me, my mother, and your dad. They had been hunting and wanted to find a motel so they could unload their gear and go out drinking. John pulled in here and we followed. So they go out drinking and about four or five hours after they left, I saw headlights pull up in front of our motel room. Your dad was in this room and we were in the one next door.  

They pulled up and I hear my mother’s voice, she was screaming at the top of her lungs at someone, and that’s when I heard your dad yell back. He stomped off to his room and mom stomped off to our room. She came in screaming that she hated me," her voice shook and she paused trying to overpower the tears that desperately wanted to escape. "She called me a worthless brat, and said it was all my fault, and I started apologizing, it was all I could think to do. Ya know, maybe if I apologized she wouldn't be so mad, but then she yelled asking if I was sorry for crying or sorry for ruining her life. She backhanded me so hard I hit the ground and when I didn't stop crying, she grabbed my wrist and drug me over by the table." Her voice continued shaking painfully.  

"She unplugged the table lamp from the wall, she was gonna beat me with the cord, but when she left go of me to fold the cord I ran out the door and to your dad's room. I pounded on it as hard as I could hoping that even if he was passed out drunk it would still wake him up.  

He opened the door and pulled me inside, I was just cowering and sobbing. I could even breath I was crying so hard. He locked the door and everything, I was worried he was already asleep and he didn't even have his boots off yet. He tried to calm me down, but I was so scared I wouldn't even let him near me.  

Finally after he calmed me down, he held me in his arms, kind of rocking back and forth... He asked me if I knew what his wife would do when their son Dean was sad or going to bed." Dean perked up, listening even more intently once he heard his name. "He told me she would sing 'hey Jude' and while he rocked me he was humming it. I don't really remember to much else, I think I feel asleep in his arms. I woke up again when I heard him take off his boots, he got in this bed and I was in Dean’s. I got outta my bed and scooted onto his. I tapped his arm like as light as I possibly could, and I thanked him." 

"Dad comforted a child like a normal person?" Sam wrinkled his nose in disbelief. 

"I just can't believe dad was that gentle." 

"Guys, your dad was the first person in  _ my life _ , and I'm not exaggerating, to genuinely show me kindness."  

Both boys silenced and Sam wrapped Clio in his arms, "I had no idea." 

"It's not exactly one of the brighter moments of my memories. I've never told anyone that story, not even Gabe or Crowley." 

"I thought we had it bad kiddo."  

"Yeah, but don't worry, I'm a big girl. Plus, now I have my big bad Winchester boys to protect me" She forced a smile.

"Especially the sexier, older one." 

"But Sam's your little brother." Clio said, through giggles and a genuine smile, and Sam threw his head back with laughter.  

**"Shaddup." Dean shook his head, grabbing a beer from the mini fridge. "You know I'm adorable." **


End file.
